[Lythand]

I know Lee and Trick had doubts about this card, but look what Perter Jahn had to say about it.

Flourishing Defenses
4G - Enchantment
Uncommon
Whenever a -1/-1 counter is placed on a creature, you may put a 1/1 green Elf Warrior creature token into play.

That card was a complete blow-out all day. -1/-1 counters are everywhere, so this triggers a lot. (If a creature comes into play with a -1/-1 counter, it triggers. Something deals lethal damage via Wither, it triggers. Etc..) It gives your opponent headaches. Suppose I have Flourishing Defense in play. I am attacking with a 3/3 equipped with Blight Sickle (equipped creature has +1/+0 and wither.) Do you take four, or do I get four elves?

[Trick]

I think I noted that given the possible prevalence of -1/-1s it had the possibility of being a beast but it isn't going to be a standard staple until a mainstream deck arises based around -1/-1s.

-- Trick

[Lythand]

I think I noted that given the possible prevalence of -1/-1s it had the possibility of being a beast but it isn't going to be a standard staple until a mainstream deck arises based around -1/-1s.

-- Trick

You did, but I think someone will come up with a deck based on it. They did it with graft.

[SoapSuds92]

Flourishing Defenses and Blowfly infestation is an infinite 2card Black/green combo.  Here's how it works:

Both are in play and with Devoted Druid, you kill him off for mana... The flourishing defenses' triggered ability triggered when putting -1/-1 counters on Devoted druid, thus giving you at least 1 token. Then, when devoted druid goes to the graveyard, Blowfly Infestation triggers and you choose to move the counter to the newly produced 1/1 token. When the counter is put on the token, Flourishing defenses triggers and gives you another token... Token goes to the graveyard, etc.... Infinite creatures coming into play.  With an essence warden out, it is infinite life.  With two flourishing defenses out, it is infinite creatures and creatures coming into play.  With 2 creatures dieing at once, and a heritage druid in play, its infinite mana and creatures coming into play. This is a very versatile 2-card combo that is easy to pull off.  You can pump the mana into Chameleon Colossus to make him massive.  Also, you can use Scarscale Ritual for the -1/-1 counter and card draw.I have already built a deck around it.  Here it is:

cards: 60
non-land: 44

4 Blowfly infestation
4 Flourishing Defenses
4 Devoted Druid
4 Heritage Druid
4 Scarscale Ritual
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Essence warden
2 Prismatic omen
2 Elvish Harbinger
3 Elvish Promenade
3 Boreal Druid
2 Prowess of the Pride
2 Rhys the Exiled
2 Chameleon Colossus

Land: 16

4 Llanowar Wastes
4 Gilt-leaf Palace
8 Forest

[imachampion]

To get your combo online you could use pump spells to get serious mana from Devoted Druid.

Giant Growth on the Devoted Druid technically nets you 'GG'. There are quite a few pump spells in green right now.

Giant Growth
Might of Old Krosa
Earth Brawn
Fistful Force
Resize

These are all the ones that cost 2 or less in green. If you added Red into the mix you could also go with Brute Force.

[bgb8987]

i was just lookin around at cards that would work, and this is pretty discusting

Mantle of Leadership
1W
Flash, Enchant Creature, When a creature comes into lay, enchanted creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn.

Devoted Druid + Mantle of Leadership + Flourishing Defenses = infinite mana, infinite 1/1s, and throw in something like life warden, infinite life?

[bgb8987]

and a pretty large druid

[imachampion]

Clever. I didn't look into green Flash.

[SoapSuds92]

The one problem with using the combo is that unless you get the combo, you are stuck with a bunch of 1/1 or 2/2's for the game and they dont get bigger.  This is neccessary though for the combo to work, because if they were 2/2's, the -1/-1 wouldnt kill the token.

[gleemax]

Sorry, while there is wicked synergy with these two cards, the is ultimatley a bombo.

Here is the part where you go wrong:

Both are in play and with Devoted Druid, you kill him off for mana... The flourishing defenses' triggered ability triggered when putting -1/-1 counters on Devoted druid, thus giving you at least 1 token. Then, when devoted druid goes to the graveyard, Blowfly Infestation triggers and you choose to move the counter to the newly produced 1/1 token.

See having 0 toughness and being sent to the graveyard is a state based effect and is checked inbetween virtually every part of the game.

Here's what really happens: You pay the cost of putting a -1/-1 counter on the Devoted Druid to untap it. Your flourishing defenses triggers.  Before you can resolve this trigger, Devoted Druid is sent to the graveyard for having 0 toughness and Blowfly Infestation triggers.  Now the stack has the blowfly trigger on top, which means it will resolve first. You resolve it and even if you kill off another creature, the flourishing defenses trigger will be put on the stack before the blowfly trigger becuase the counter goes on the creature and then it gets sent to the graveyard before you can resolve anything on the stack.  In the end, you can get alot of 1/1 elf's and move alot of -1/-1 counters around.  But you won't be going infinate. 

The deck is still viable, you can kill all your elves and replace them everytime a creature with a -1/-1 goes to the graveyard, but you won't get any of the replacements until all the blowfly triggers have finished resolving.

Now if you also had out a way to make your elves 2/2's like Elvish Champion and a way to sacrifice your elves like Nantuko Husk. Then yes, we would have a near infinate combo.  But as it is, it's a combo, but it's not as good as you think.

[bgb8987]

I'm simply referring to having a devoted druid with Mantle of Leadership. Tap him for G, untap him, put a -1/-1 on him, which than puts a 1/1 into play. When the 1/1 comes into play, the druid gets +2/+2 until end of turn. So you just repeat this process, each time getting you G, -1/-1 counter on the druid, a 1/1, and +2/+2 for each 1/1

[gleemax]

I'm simply referring to having a devoted druid with Mantle of Leadership. Tap him for G, untap him, put a -1/-1 on him, which than puts a 1/1 into play. When the 1/1 comes into play, the druid gets +2/+2 until end of turn. So you just repeat this process, each time getting you G, -1/-1 counter on the druid, a 1/1, and +2/+2 for each 1/1

I never said your combo didn't work.  In fact good job on finding that gem.
As you can see from my post I was quoting and responding to SoapSuds92.

[SoapSuds92]

Ok dude.
I came up with this combo before the prerelease and I have called about it(magic customer service hotline) and here is what they said will happen.

Flourishing defenses triggers by the -1/-1 being put on the creature(even if the creature dies, I still get the token). Then flourishing defenses resolves and I get the token. After that it is put into the graveyard and Blowfly infestation resolves moving the counter and repeating itself, until i put the counter on a different creature such as a 2/2 or an opponents creature. The only way this is infinite, is like I already said.... If you have 2 flourishing defenses out and therefore get 2 tokens for every one going to the graveyard. Or if you have essence warden out and therefore get life outve the deal. Or if you have two going to the graveyard at once and tap them for mana using heritage druid every couple of times they go to the graveyard(Before it goes to the graveyard, you would have 4 tokens in play and you can tap them for mana and then let them go to the graveyard) Yes, it does work... or atleast according to the official Magic Hotline service it does.

[gleemax]

Weird, I didn't know the customer service line also gave judge rulings. Weirder still that they would give you such blatatnly wrong information.  Regardless, you are still wrong with your explanation.  It's clear that you don't understand state-based effects or the stack very well.  State-based effects would be checked long before your Flourishing Defenses trigger would ever resolve.  In fact, as I have recently learned, state-based effects are checked before triggers are even put on the stack.  The instant you put that 2nd -1/-1 counter on the devoted druid, it will be sent to the graveyard and trigger the blowfly infestation.  Then you will have both triggers to put on the stack.  There is no time in-between to stack the defenses trigger, let alone resolve it. This is where you are going wrong.

There is hope however, after doing some research on this combo for you I found a way to make it work, but you have to be very careful when explaining it and setting it up or else you will trip over yourself.  The key that you are leaving out is that you need a 1 toughness guy on in the game besides the devoted druid before you try to combo off. The reason for this is because the blowfly infestation requires you to select a target when putting it on the stack and not when it resolves.

So here's what you will need to do:

1: Activate Devoted Druid. It gets a -1/-1 counter which triggers Defenses, but before you can put the trigger on the stack, state-based effects are checked and they see that you have a 0 toughness creature and they send it to the graveyard.  This triggers the Infestation. Before you can stack that trigger, state-based effects are checked again.  This time they see nothing and allow you to stack both your triggers. 

2.Since you control both trigger you can stack them as you want. You will want to stack the Infestation trigger first and then the Defenses trigger so the 1/1 token will be generated before the next one dies.  When you stack the Infestation trigger you have to target a creature.  Since your defenses trigger isn't even on the stack yet, you will not be able to target the 1/1 token it will generate.  This is where your explanation and combo fell apart.  At this point, you will need another 1 toughness guy on the field somewhere to target.  If you have one, you target it and then stack the defenses trigger.

3.The defenses trigger resolves and you put a 1/1 in play.

4. The infestation trigger resolves and you put a -1/-1 counter on the creature you previously targeted. This will result in the combo starting over.  State-based effects are check and you wind up being able to stack both triggers at the same time.  Now you can target the 1/1 you created the first time and if you keep stacking and resolving things correctly, you can create and kill your 1/1's as many times as you want.

The keys are in the explanation and having another 1 toughness creature already in play.  If you tried to pull this combo off and explained it to a judge the way you did in this thread, the judge will point out that you cannot resolve triggers before the druid goes to the graveyard and they would rule against you. Remember, judges do not have to tell you how you could do something (in fact they aren't allowed to while you are in the middle of a match), they can only tell you if the way you are trying to do it works or not.  If you use the explanation that I provided here, you should be able to work this combo correctly and a judge would rule in your favor.  This is very similar to all the trouble the Revlark combo caused when it first started to get played.

I know the stack and state-based effects are complicated, especially for newer players, but it's an important part of Magic and knowing how it works will benefit you greatly.  Maybe we'll get an article or podcast about the stack soon.

[SoapSuds92]

Thank you gleemax. I will admit that I didn't fully understand the stack. However, when I did come up with the combo, subconsciously at the least; it made sense. Originally, when I said kill the devoted druid off for mana... I forgot to point out that he did not have any -1/-1 counters on him and therefore would produce 1 token before the 2nd token would come out(he would still have 1 toughness when the first token is produced). I talked to the judges about it and they said that it worked, but I needed to remember to put blowfly infestation on the stack first and then the defenses. When I was replying to your post, my mind went blank as to how I could put it on the stack first and therefore, my explanation was lacking accuracy. Looking over your explanation on how it could be done, it sounds very similar to what the magic hot line said(in not so many words). Thank you for your time and research into this combo, you have just made me a very happy man. I am going to spend more time in learning the stack and statebased effects so this kind of thing will make much more sense next time. Thanks again gleemax!